Echinacea, only for grown-ups

The MHRA have been actively trying to record adverse reactions in herbals over the past few years, the data to crunch is on the increase. Due to reports of allergic reactions in children to Echinacea, the MHRA are now state that Echinacea products should not be given to children under 12, although they have not found a serious safety issue and say parents should not worry if they have given Echinacea to children under 12 in the past. This announcement has meant product pulls for companies that have gone through getting them licensed under THR; it also affects unlicensed Echinacea products. Parents may be wary of buying Echinacea for children now. Whilst many companies and herbal practitioners disagree with this decision they have no choice but to comply with medicines law in the UK, irrespective of whether other national medicines regulators in the EU have not taken this stance.